Treatment Monitor: Treatment as part of a continuum of care

Prevention

There is a vast experience of prevention work in South Africa, from information and edutainment programmes, focus on youth, to the advancement of female controlled methods in the form of microbicides and femidom distribution

Female Controlled Methods – microbicides and femidoms
Contacts:

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

While access to treatment has been the area of contestation, women’s sexual and reproductive health has been seriously neglected. We are particularly interested in exploring the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and their ability to access services. We acknowledge that the HIV epidemic is feminized with most infections infecting and affecting women. We support integrated services that are decentralized and as such we would want to advocate for provision of women receiving HIV care within a sexual and reproductive health and rights framework. There is a need to monitor the provision of services in a SRRH framework as women’s rights are often seriously eroded. The HST treatment monitor is keen to develop a focus in this area. Please forward any contact or links that you think would add to this area.

PPTCT plus/PMTCT/Perinatal Transmission

We note that there is a variation of ways to address programmes known initially as Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission PPTCT and PPTCT Plus – in which the plus indicates the need to treat the parent with HAART. The treatment monitor acknowledges the differences in emphases and would advocate for responsibility and treatment to be a borne and accessible to all parties. There is a need to implement routine testing so as to improve access to all treatment programmes

Contacts:
Loveday Penn Kekana - http://www.wits.ac.za/chp/
Tanya Doherty: Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT)

Drugs for Women

Particular drugs including Evavirenz (Stockin) and Tenofovir are contra-indicated for fertile, pregnant and breastfeeding women. Women need to know this information and be given choices with regard to contraception and drug options. There also needs to be monitoring in this regard to learn more about the impact of these drugs.

Cervical Cancer

Cervical Cancer is an AIDS defining illness and HIV positive women do present with precancerous lesions more often. The incidence of cervical cancer remains at 30:100 000 women and is the cancer that affects most women in South Africa. There is a need to explore this area as it is unknown what the implications are for women on HAART. Previously HIV positive women with cervical died of another opportunistic disease.

Contacts:
WHRU - Dr Jennifer Moodley

Children and Youth

The impact of HIV/AIDS on children has not been prioritized. There are some key groups working in this area:

Private sector and HIV/AIDs in the Workplace

UNGASS Special Session on HIV/AIDS - Monitoring the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS

The Treatment Monitor of HST along with MOSAIC training and healing centre for women are coordinating a South African monitoring process in relation UNGASS and sexual and reproductive health and rights. This is taking place in the second half of 2007. This is an international process funded by the Ford Foundation and coordinated by GESTOS a Brazilian NGO, there are some sixteen participating countries. Attached please find the research tool, attendance register, and other documents related to the process.

Drugs

Dr Andy Gray - graya1@ukzn.ac.za

Treatment Literacy

ARASA - Gregg Gonsalves
TAC Treatment Project

Tuberculosis

Contact people
Edina Sinanovic - edina@heu.uct.ac.za
Marian Loveday - marian@hst.org.za

Palliation

Dr Natalya Dinat – Unit at WITS
Head Palliative Care
natalyad@witspalliative.co.za
Postnet Suite 189, Private Bag X2600, Houghton 2041, Johannesburg, South Africa
tel: +27 11 933 4031 fax: +27 11 933 3482

Nicky GunnClark, Paralegal Project Manager
at Hospice Palliative Care Association
Phone: +27 21 531 0277
Fax: +27 21 531 1706
Email: nicola@hpca.co.za

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Health Issues

Documents by OUT LGBT Well-being

Contact: Delene van Dyk
Mental Health Manager
OUT LGBT Well-being
Tel: 012 344 5108 Fax: 012 344 6501
Email: mentalhealth@out.org.za
Web: http://www.out.org.za